Gotham: "Pinewood"Review

The architect behind Thomas and Martha Wayne's murder was revealed this week in "Pinewood" and...it was exactly who we assumed it would be. You know, ever since Hugo Strange was introduced in the midseason premiere and was revealed to be the mastermind behind the Indian Hill experiments that is. Experiments that Thomas Wayne tried to put a stop to, causing him to get killed. So the reveal wasn't really a big reveal, and most of the episode involved watching Gordon, Bruce, and Alfred slowly figure out what most of us already knew, but it was still good to get all this out in the open.

No Nygma (in jail) or Penguin this week, just Gordon's quest to close out the main murder case from the series premiere. In an attempt, as "Totally Sane" Barbara pointed out, to close the door on his past. And while she was paired up with him, Bruce and Alfred tracked down an old mutant experiment from the days when Indian hill was called Pinewood Farms. A reclusive chick named Karen with a lethal insect claw hand. Eventually everyone would circle back together and figure out Strange's involvement, taking us into the final Season 2 episodes with our heroes targeting him as the main villain.

It wasn't great stuff, but it felt sufficient. I like crazy Barbara and so I'm glad they didn't do the exact same thing with her as they did with Penguin - Strange's other early Arkham release. She didn't walk around all docile and shy until a traumatic event snapped her back into craziness. She was just..crazy. Now though, with a rekindled affinity for Gordon. A loose cannon, yes, but no longer one who wanted to kill him. Anyhow, she usually makes most scenes she's in better. Even if we could tell she was faking a betrayal at the Artemis Club.

It's funny that Strange's big gamble with Barbara - releasing her early to see what might happen - wound up biting him in the ass. Because she got out and immediately wanted to help Gordon solve his case. I've really liked Strange this half-season, though his penchant for gambling and risk taking is curious. Here, he unleashed Mr. Freeze on our heroes in an attempt to kill them and Karen. Karen's the only one who wound up getting frozen so then, in hindsight, it was an odd risk to send Victor out on the town where people could see him. And possibly connect the dots and figure out what Strange has been doing back in Indian Hill.

Of course, the biggest reveal in "Pinewood" had nothing to with Bruce's parents' deaths. It was Theo Galavan - aka Patient 44 - returning from the dead and taking the Order of St. Dumas mantle of superhuman enforcer/assassin Azrael. So it'll be interesting to see Gotham's take on this DC character. Or, really, its take on the title. Is Galavan now due a post-death redemption of sorts? There's no Batman to replace here. Or succeed. And, as usual, I assume Strange doesn't care what happens overall. He's just in it for the thrill of the resurrection.

The Verdict

"Pinewood" finally closed the door on the show's biggest mystery. After we waited patiently for Bruce to find Matches. And for him to then also now find Karen. And for Gordon to get answers from "The Lady." Though in the end, the unexpected resurrection of Theo Galavan trumped any and all reveals about Strange and Thomas Wayne.

Good

Hugo Strange tried to thwart young Bruce's investigation while Jim Gordon was surprised by the return of Barbara.